Citizens at war with failing health sector

1 June 2023 07:11 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 6 Bookmark

CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA Follow

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- Govt. urged to wake up before it is too late

-I don’t have money to get medicines from private pharmacy

-SLMA slams govt. for turning a blind eye to drug shortage

The general public who come to seek medical treatment from Government hospitals is facing great inconvenience as they are being asked to purchase certain drugs and get certain tests done from private pharmacies, which is like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.

Speaking with several patients who had arrived at the National Hospital Colombo to purchase medicines, Daily Mirror noticed that the poor are feeling the brunt of the significant drug shortage prevailing in government hospitals forcing them to purchase drugs from private pharmacies, which costs them additional amount.

Muhammad, one of the patients said he came all the way from Jaffna to seek medicines for diabetes. However, he was asked to purchase two drugs from outside as they were not available in the National hospital.

Soysa Rajapaksa, another victim said he was told to take his son out of the hospital to get two tests called wound swab culture test and antibiotic sensitivity test which had cost Rs 1,950.

Nilmini Kumari, a resident of Maharagama said she was also asked to purchase a drug from a private pharmacy as it was not available in the hospital. “This is indeed time-consuming. Besides, we’ll have to bear additional cost as well. This is really injustice,”

Kumarasinghe, who is in his 70s said he had to go home to find some money to purchase a medicine prescribed by the doctor. I don’t have money at present. Need to go home. We as the poor have to suffer now,” he stated.

Meanwhile, President of Society of Government Pharmacists Thushara Ranadeva also admitted that there is a critical drug shortage in government hospitals.

Moreover, Dr Vinya Ariyaratne, the President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) told Daily Mirror “There is an acute shortage of certain drugs at Government hospitals. However, the Government seems to have taken the matter for granted,”

According to sources, there is a shortage of over 120 drugs which includes painkillers, drugs for diabetic, cancer and heart patients and surgical items. (Sheain Fernandopulle)

Comments - 6

Sunil Thursday, 01 June 2023 07:23 AM

Once again this ranil rajapaksha regime has let down the innocent people very badly and it has failed miserably, What is all this talk about the economy that has recovered under the pin president. Thousands of heart patients will die even before their ailments have been diagnosed.

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They can wait Thursday, 01 June 2023 07:51 AM

Drugs and Lab tests can wait. There is no hurry. But the pressing requirement is to expedite LG Elections. Why are all these medical professionals giving their opinion?

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Suffering senior citizen without drugs nown Thursday, 01 June 2023 07:53 AM

The shortage of drugs has cost us reducing the dosage on a daily basis .... we senior citizens are suffering on all sides.... what is going on in this country?

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Obama Cares Thursday, 01 June 2023 08:03 AM

When we have doctors advising on Fertiliser, a monk leading the nurses, a doctors union striking about train time tables, many doctors protesting about govt corruption while they themselves evade taxes, abuse their powers and take gifts from pharma industry, acts like a mafia to prevent new drugs suppliers entering the market, and ofcourse a bankrupt nation, it is the citizens that will ultimately pay the price.

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Mike Jeya Thursday, 01 June 2023 08:04 AM

The government should workout a mechanism to reimburse the patients if the drugs are bought outside or the tests are done outside. Also it should investigate whether the shortage is due to drugs imported by the government being sold to the private sector by unscrupulous elements in the health sector.

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Sokrates Thursday, 01 June 2023 08:21 AM

Here you can see again that Ranil's grand revival of the economy is a big fake. He rebalances the shortcomings so cleverly that they remain invisible to most people. For example, he uses the foreign exchange needed for medicines and medical equipment to buy fuel. If queues at the petrol sheds are seen will lead to riots. But hardly can see people dying at home or in hospitals from lack of medicine. LPG is imported, again to avoid visible queues, but electricity costs are increased. Now even unimportant religious statements are hyped up by the government to distract from the economic inadequacies. Unbelievable how Ranil, his corrupt government and the criminal parliamentarians cling to power even if it costs lives. It's just sad that this is supported by the media whether unconsciously or intentionally.

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